SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group discussion

Frederick Forsyth's milestone thriller (which we mention often around here) was adapted into a hit movie which showed Americans startling views of France; Italy; and especially, the city of Paris. That famous urban locate becomes a character all its own, in the movie.

Here's another not-as-famous but very intriguing short film, made in around the same era, and also featuring Paris. It is called,

'The Rendezvous' (at thing-to-see)

'The Rendezvous' (at Youtube)

Now while we never do very many videos in this group (much less, arthouse experimental avante-garde shorts) this is one I think you should see.

Basically the director takes a Ferrari and a professional driver, and sets off one morning--at around sunrise, when the streets are empty--and floors the pedal, all the way down and no brakes, twisting and turning at absolute top speed through the Paris streets. He has a camera strapped to the grill of the car, that's how the movie was made. That's all there is to it.

So its as if you're watching a spectacular chase scene from a spectacular movie; only there is no movie in this case...just the thrill and the speed.

It is strange, lean and somehow elegant.

What balls it took to just go ahead and do this thing, at all costs, not knowing if it might result in a fiery crash or someone getting killed. Boldness. Its also kind of poetic and dream-like in a way.

I gotta think this was a professional driver; someone who lives an existence of man + machine every day. The car is an extension of his body. And I also think that the driver really knew Parisian streets well.

Love the sound of his downshifting whenever he came to a dicey area.

My god that was great, yep the downshifting was good stuff. He definitely knew where he was going.
Wonder if it was an F1, or road rally driver do that driving??

Don't know. Only top drivers like that though, drive without touching their brakes. In fact I dont believe those F-1 cars HAVE brakes.

I just love the realness of it. You have to be crazy to do things like that.

Feliks wrote: "Don't know. Only top drivers like that though, drive without touching their brakes. In fact I dont believe those F-1 cars HAVE brakes.

I just love the realness of it. You have to be crazy to do th..."

Yep, and damn good and confident at what your doing...
I still can't get over the kick-assness of that video..

I wonder if the route is 'mapped' anywhere online, the way that fans did for the 'Bullet' car chase. So that you can see the road he's on and see where he turns.

8 minutes to cross Paris! and it is a great example of the Keretsky brain phenomenon... because only when the girl shows up at the end do you realize it is a 'romance' story...

The 'Bullitt' map
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?...

Map combined with chase sequence:
http://tinyurl.com/o5njlwd
and
http://tinyurl.com/nle9ozs

the two cops in the original 'Taking of Pelham 123' couldn't get uptown to Grand Central from the Federal Reserve in Wall Street, in under two minutes (as promised). Even with 5th avenue cleared all the way.

I love that scene: 'Counting the money' and then they take off, looking at each other like they know its impossible.

The Chief screams at them over the horn: "If I don't see your faces here in two minutes..I don't EVER want to see them...floor the sucker godamnit"

Jus' thinkin bout Pelham makes me tense up. Anyone who rides the NYC transit system to work every morning knows how disturbing, accurate, and frightening this movie plot is and always will be.

fixed links

the thing about Paris is that it has crazy 5-way intersections all over the place. Its a huge gamble to run them at speed, even if you're sure there's no traffic

question about his route: do you think he was able to stick to his original route or did you spot any places where he had to detour?

did you think he lost any significant time with the various things which got in his way? or did he get around them well enough?

Still available!

http://onemansblog.com/2006/08/26/ren...

lest anyone underestimate the Mercedes probably used in this shoot:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...

...named the best racing vehicle of its era.

Top speed 163 mph

That's no lightweight job tooling through Paris.

Thanks for the links made for some good reading.

IMCDb
Internet Movie Cars Database
https://www.imcdb.org/

IMFDb
Internet Movie Firearms Database
https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Main_Page

Updated link (flick seems to be getting pulled off many sites)

https://vimeo.com/305211187

Another brief look at the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. I didn't realize that it started out production as a gull-wing and then became a roadster.

I saw it recently in "Elevator to the Gallows" where it is featured prominently in the plot.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercede...

Can you imagine seein' this sumbitch barreling down on you at five a.m. on a Paris morning?